Formula 1 2021 - General Discussion Thread (Read 1st post rules)

Harika wrote: »

I assume this change will cause more pitstop incidents than we see now.

Hard to say since we don't know what the changes will be.

vectra wrote: »

Well, if it slows the whole field the same amount, then hopefully not.
I wonder what will the next thing Mercedes will ask the FIA to change to slow Red Bull down?
Possibly ban Max from drinking Red Bull as it may be seen as a performance enhancing product? :rolleyes::pac:

Next change: team bosses have to roll dice. Only snake eyes will let you swap tyres

vectra wrote: »

Well, if it slows the whole field the same amount, then hopefully not.
I wonder what will the next thing Mercedes will ask the FIA to change to slow Red Bull down?
Possibly ban Max from drinking Red Bull as it may be seen as a performance enhancing product? :rolleyes::pac:

Lol.

barryribs wrote: »

Where do you draw the line then, Azerbaijan is supposedly worse for LGBT rights than Russia. They forced people out of their homes to build half the new city in Baku. Then there's a race scheduled for Saudi Arabia, where they can dismember dissidents without repercussions not to mention their links to terrorism, slavery and sex trafficking. And we close out the season strong in beautiful Abu Dhabi, where you can legally beat your wife or stone her to death for adultery.

Add Bahrain and Hungary to that list too.

F1 follows money, not morality. Business is business, sports is sports and politics isn't part of their thinking.

If we tried to stick to squeaky clean western countries for a world championship, we wouldn't have a world championship at all.

AMKC wrote: »

By the way it was not Mercedes but McLaren who complained about Red Bulls pit stops and that is why the pit stops are being changed because of McLaren.

Didn't Toto say they enquired something about it weeks ago?

Hijpo wrote: »

What are the chances that Merc use their customer team to voice an opinion or lodge a complaint?

Has that happened before?

Toto all but admitted it (using weasel words about making a technical enquiry)

Everyone from Red Bull to Ferrari to Alfa Romeo to Alpine have criticised the sudden change out of the blue, it’s only Merc and their customers who are supporting the decision.

Yeah, the radio comms between Hamilton and Bono are a little to showcase that speed difference in the straights. It's all a part of the F1 game!

Charlie-Bravo wrote: »

Yeah, the radio comms between Hamilton and Bono are a little to showcase that speed difference in the straights. It's all a part of the F1 game!

Yep even though it’s really obvious when you look at the Red Bull that they’re running skinnier wings to get a straight line speed boost.

You also had Hamilton in the post race interviews making baseless claims about Red Bull spending more too, again sewing the seed that they might be breaking spending cap rules.

It’s all a bit rich when it’s the first time in the hybrid era that Mercedes haven’t had a big straight line speed advantage on everyone, and probably the first time they haven’t been able to outspend everyone too thanks to the budget cap.

quokula wrote: »

One disappointment for me this year so far is the total anonymity of Alonso. Obviously there is only so much you can do with the car and he does seem to be asserting himself over Ocon now, but when he was in the thick of the action in that DRS train today he just seemed quite passive. He’s driven his fair share of poor cars in the past but he’d always be visibly wringing the neck of the car and ducking and diving for opportunistic moves or constantly on the radio finding ways to go aggressive on strategy. I don’t feel we’re really seeing that this season so far.

Has any driver left F1, returned and done much?

mickdw wrote: »

Kimi has had a longer second f1 career than most have had whole f1 career and has won races.

Second career is longer than the first as well.

01-09 & 12-21 (and beyond?)

Kimi didn't "retire" though, did he? He just took a few years out as he didn't have a drive.

I think Alonso is doing pretty well in an ok car. He's been in the top 10 the last few races and I reckon he'll keep bringing it home in points scoring positions for many more races. Obviously he's not going to win a race this year, he might pick up a podium in a race of attrition. But he said himself he's there for the 2022 cars - he needed this year to get back into it and up to speed again, which he's doing.

Will he win another WDC? That depends on what the 2022 regs do to the field, and how Alpine respond to them. They could be a third-best team, after Merc and Red Bull, but with Honda pulling out, it does beg the questions as to what RB will be able to do next year. Max is a monster though, so not sure how Alonso would fare in a head to head with Max.

Merc should remain strong but if Lewis leaves and Russell comes in, that's another unknown quantity.

eviltimeban wrote: »

Kimi didn't "retire" though, did he? He just took a few years out as he didn't have a drive.

He turned down drives in lesser cars that year (Toyota I think were one) so could have had a drive if he wanted to/willing to accept lesser salary.

vectra wrote: »

I thought he got paid not to drive for a couple of years to make a seat available for Alonso?
Wasn't there a mention of 20 or 25 million?

This is how I remember it, Alonso became available early and Ferrari paid Kimi something like 10 million if he had a seat or 20 if he didn't. McLaren lowballed him and he earned more by not driving than if he had the McLaren seat + the ferrari payment.